Ted Gray
Ted Gray | |
---|---|
Detroit, Michigan, U.S. | |
Died: June 15, 2011 Delray Beach, Florida, U.S. | (aged 86)|
Batted: Switch Threw: Left | |
MLB debut | |
May 15, 1946, for the Detroit Tigers | |
Last MLB appearance | |
September 8, 1955, for the Baltimore Orioles | |
MLB statistics | |
Win–loss record | 59–74 |
Earned run average | 4.37 |
Strikeouts | 687 |
Teams | |
| |
Career highlights and awards | |
Ted Glenn Gray (December 31, 1924 – June 15, 2011) was an American
.A native Detroiter, Gray was a star pitcher at
Gray enlisted in the Navy when he turned 18 after the 1942 season. Gray was assigned to the
After the war, Gray played with Buffalo before joining the Tigers for a brief stay in 1946. He pitched only three games in the Major Leagues in 1946 (an 0–2 record) and was returned to the minors where he spent the balance of the 1946 season and the entire 1947 season. Gray returned to the Tigers in 1948, posting a record of 6–2.
Though Gray never lived up to the expectations that were created by his wartime performance, he became part of the Tigers starting rotation from 1949 to 1953. In 1949, Gray won 10 games and had a career-best 3.51 ERA (Adjusted ERA+ of 118).
Gray then got off to a phenomenal start in 1950, winning 10 games before the All-Star break. He was selected for the American League All-Star team but ended up as the losing pitcher in the 1950 All-Star Game after giving up a game-winning home run to Red Schoendienst in the 14th inning. [2] After the All Star game, Gray failed to win another game for the remainder of the year, finishing with a 10-7 record.
Gray reportedly suffered from chronic blisters that hindered his performance. [3]
In 1951, Gray's downward slide continued as he led the American League in losses with a record of 7–14. And in 1952, Gray was among the league leaders in losses with 17 (third most in the AL) and earned runs allowed with 103 (third most in the AL).
Gray was a power pitcher who was known for his forkball and ranked among the American League leaders in strikeouts four consecutive years from 1950 to 1954. He had the second-highest rate of strikeouts per 9 innings in both 1951 (5.97) and 1952 (5.88). He was also among the league leaders in home runs allowed on three occasions, leading the league in home runs allowed in 1953 with 25.
At the end of the 1954 season, Gray was traded to the Chicago White Sox with Walt Dropo. He was released by four teams during the 1955 season. Only two other players have played for four American League teams in one season: Frank Huelsman and Paul Lehner.
Gray posted a career won-loss record of 59–74 with a 4.37 ERA in 222 career games.
References
- St. Petersburg Times. AP. 1 July 1955. p. 13. Archived from the originalon 6 May 2016. Retrieved 30 May 2010.
External links
- Career statistics and player information from Baseball Reference, or Fangraphs
- Baseball in Wartime - Ted Gray
- Ted Gray - Baseball Biography and Highlights